Bear Attacks on Greek Farmers: Human-Wildlife Conflict

In northwestern Greece, farmers grapple with a rising issue: bear attacks on their livestock. Anastasios Kasparidis, a farmer, recently lost three sheep to a bear, prompting him to move his remaining animals closer to his home. This incident reflects a broader trend of wild animals, once rare, becoming more common in rural areas, causing concern among residents about their livelihoods.Environmentalists applaud the resurgence of bear and wolf populations, largely due to their protected status. However, this success has created tension with local communities. Farmers and villagers are now advocating for greater protection from these animals, arguing that conservation efforts may have gone too far and are impacting their daily lives and safety.Dimitris Bakaloudis, a wildlife expert, notes that brown bear numbers have quadrupled since the nineteen nineties, with up to eight hundred and seventy bears now roaming northern Greece. Wolves have also expanded their territory significantly, reaching as far south as the outskirts of Athens. This recovery is partly sustained by a booming wild boar population, which is not directly linked to conservation but rather to factors like reduced hunting and milder winters.The increased animal populations have led to more human encounters, sometimes with serious consequences. There have been reports of a child bitten by a wolf, an elderly man injured by a bear, and a hiker who died after a bear encounter. These incidents fuel fear in communities, with some residents feeling unsafe walking outside at night and calling for measures like extended hunting seasons for wild boars.Experts suggest that habitat loss, noise from human activity, and dwindling village populations also contribute to animals venturing into inhabited areas. Solutions include using lights to deter animals, proper waste disposal, and avoiding feeding strays. While capturing and removing animals is an option in extreme cases, experts emphasize that simply killing them will not solve the complex issue of human-wildlife coexistence.The Daily News Now! — Every city. Every story. AI-powered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.